Act Locally » January 19, 2004

Ethiopian Genocide

On Saturday, December 13, in a single bloody burst of targeted mass murder, Ethiopia became the world’s latest sovereignty to attempt genocide as a way to solve its problems with a troublesome minority.

The United States, which gave Ethiopia $32 million in foreign aid last year, is investigating the massacre, in which eyewitnesses say uniformed Ethiopian soldiers were aided in the murder of more than 400 members of the Anuak tribe.

The charge is being made by dozens of refugees who live in the United States who spoke by telephone to surviving relatives. During the last decade more than 2,000 Anuak have settled in the United States after fleeing ethnic cleansing—said to be carried out by rival tribes backed by the Ethiopian government.

December’s massacre, by far the worst single-day killing of Anuak, was the first time Ethiopian soldiers were widely witnessed leading such an attack. It took place in Gambella, the capital of the state of Gambella in remote western Ethiopia, which shares a long border with Sudan.

According to eyewitnesses, the soldiers were joined by dozens of members of the Amara, Oromo and Tigray tribes who were seen chopping and stabbing Anuak with machetes.

Omod, an Anuak survivor, described what happened in a telephone interview: “About 300 uniformed soldiers marched into the town. They knocked on doors or pushed them down and pulled out all the men and the boys. Then they beat them on the street and told them to run. When they ran, they shot them. They killed my boy. He was a driver and they shot him in his car. I hid in the bush and I saw them beating people, shooting people and burning houses. We collected 403 bodies. They are in a mass grave.”

The Anuak have lived for centuries in a verdant western region of Ethiopia. There are active gold pits and oil reserves on the Anuak’s ancestral land, resources the Ethiopian government covets. Over the past decade the Anuak have pressed the factional government in Addis Ababa for a share in the projected development of these resources and have been answered in political subjugation, physical beatings and now the government-led pogrom.

It is a small genocide compared to those of the Turks, Jews, Cambodians, Tutsis and Bosnian Muslims, but it has all the markings of a state-sponsored attempt to extinguish an entire race.

Over the past decade some 20,000 Anuak have fled into refugee camps in northern Kenya (primarily the Ifo camp), and into southern Sudan. Until December 13, most of the killings of Anuak were by their ancient tribal enemies, the Nuer, many of whom have resettled on Anuak land as civil war refugees from Sudan. The United Nations runs three refugee camps in western Ethiopia for these refugees, most of whom are Nuer.

Anthropologists and missionaries say the Anuak and the Nuer in previous decades evolved ritualistic peaceful ways to solve grazing rights disputes that arose between their tribes. The displacement of more than 100,000 Sudanese civil war refugees onto Anuak land upset those traditional ways.

The Anuak for years have claimed that the Ethiopian government was using the Anuak-Nuer rivalry as its main tool for Anuak extermination, arming Nuers and de-arming Anuak and then standing by when the inevitable occurred.

According to witnesses and United Nations accounts, the massacre began when a van containing eight U.N. and Ethiopian government refugee camp officials was ambushed on a road connecting the towns of Itang and Gambella. All eight occupants of the van were killed.

At 1 p.m. that afternoon, Ethiopian soldiers brought the van and the corpses to Gambella, attracting crowds of angry onlookers. Here are three Anuak eyewitness accounts:

Obang: “The crowd of highlanders was angry about the killings [of the people in the van]. They asked ‘Who killed these people? Who killed these highlanders?’ All these people followed the van to the hospital. They are all angry. One soldier fired his gun in the air, and all the highlanders scattered and ran home. In a few minutes they came back carrying anything they could get from their homes – knives, guns, machetes, spears.”

Romeago: “They burned down my mom’s house and my sister’s house. My mom said about 400 Anuak were killed and they are still finding bodies in the bush and in the river. My other sister ran with her family into the bush; we haven’t heard from her. We don’t know if she and her kids are alive.”

Okun: “The soldiers knew who they were looking for. They went only to the houses of the Anuak, and then mainly for the educated ones, the students, the leaders. I talked to a cousin on my mom’s side. He hid under his bed to survive. He saw a soldier kill a boy in the street. They told the boy to run and then they shot him. He saw another boy who was shot in the leg but wasn’t killed; he was just lying in the street, calling for help. No one could go to him. The soldiers burned down houses and stole TVs, refrigerators and cash. All the houses with grass roofs, they burned.”

A spokesman with the Ethiopian embassy in Washington said eyewitness accounts of uniformed Ethiopian soldiers killing Anuak were “completely false and unfounded. The defense forces are doing their level best to look for those people who were involved in this sad event.”

When asked why 2,000 Anuak had fled Ethiopia as refugees, the spokesman said they had not fled ethnic cleansing. Rather, “they are enjoying the right of movement to live anywhere they like and to enjoy their own pursuit of life.”

A spokesman for the U.S. State Department, which has advised Americans not to travel to Gambella, said it had confirmed 113 dead and has sent a security team to the area to investigate the massacre.

In St. Paul, Minnesota, the Anuak tribe’s leadership in exile meets Saturday afternoons at an Ethiopian restaurant to plan relief efforts and a lobbying campaign to catch the attention of U.S. Sens. Mark Dayton (D-Minn.) and Norm Coleman (R-Minn.).

The Anuak held a rally December 20 on the steps of the state capital. More than 100 Anuak men and women marched in a circle carrying signs asking “Mr. Bush, Terrorism? Now Genocide?” and “Where is the International Body?”

An Anuak leader in St. Paul sent a New Year’s e-mail to a dozen Anuak friends in the United States, Australia and Canada. The e-mail had photographs of smiling Anuak boys and girls, and the message read:

“No one is going to stand up for us, so we must stand up for ourselves. We all need to come together and tell the whole world, and our enemies too, that the Anuak people have a right to live in this, God’s world. It is our birth place, just like the rest of the human species.”

Story so horrific needs more clarification, more information and background.Posted by jan janson on 2004-02-18 10:34:39

Baja!
You tell me how many Anuaks were killed in a single day in the city of Gambella by Ethiopian soldiers and thier counterparts highlanders on Dec.23.03? check [url=http://www.genocidewatch.org]www.genocidewatch.org[/url] More than 400 hundreds Anuaks being genocide by more than 300 uniform Ethiopians soldiers and highlander who wanted to take the leadership of Gambella, Meles Zenawi government put the death toll at 57. And Meles did not say how many military members were involved in the killing on Dec. 13,2003. Now again its military masscared the local government leaders in Dimma town first, and went on killing any Anuaks they could find in town and gold mining, yet telling the world that Anuaks killed 196 highlanders? Where is the numbers of Anuaks who were killed?Why didn't the government make it known to the world? At first place why didn't Ethiopian government allow the investigation of Gambella city genocide?This is nothing but it is a pretext for Ethiopian military government of Meles to carry out evil attack against Anuaks. I'm a Dimma born and raised Anuak. The victims highlanders numbers were less 100 according to the eyewitness survival Anuak. It was around 45 to 57 and Anuaks didn't intended to kill those civilans highladers but it was a cross fire when Anuaks were defending themselves from Ethiopian military gunfire. How come the numbers of the dead highlanders raised high in the Southerner State of Nationality? It because Meles Zenawi is lossing support of Tigrey people so now he and his military leaders trying to call the Southerner attention in whatever way they could. It was the Southerner members of EPRDF military who committed the attrocities against Anuaks in the first place. I was in Dimma from day 1 of EPRDF present till 1994. All those years every week there was an Anuak being killed by the Ethiopan military or highladers for no reason and no cherge or jail time aganist the killers. All lives created equally!! Gambella is our land and whosever dream about taking it from us will always suffer a significant loss!!!! Even though we are few in numbers, God will help us to defend ourselves against evil invaders forces with our bearhands.
God bless work of Doug for letting the world know who we are!
God bless Anuaks!!
Posted by Okony on 2004-02-12 19:46:01

Yes Nus,
Unless the readers are well of the Gambella region and Meles gov. policy there, you would not understand. Even BBC still reporting the Dec. 13, 2003 genocide in the city of Gambella as a clashes between Anuaks and Nuers which is completely false.
But Dimma masscares last Friday until times there is no way to twist it on Nuers because the Nuers in the Dimma region are Sudanese refugees whom some of them were slaughtered mistaken as an Anuaks.
If you don't trust the Anuaks message trust the messagers which is the UN and Genocidewatch
[url=http://www.genocidewatch.org]www.genocidewatch.org[/url]
Ethiopian: Anuak
Meles might feel good at this moment thinking that he going to have Gambella wealth his starving people but sooner he will be crying in "HELL"!
Gambella is our land and evil forces will not occupied it whatsoever.
Death to Meles and his followers!
Long Live to Anuaks/Gambella and our supporters!!!!
Posted by Okony on 2004-02-10 21:46:49

"Long live for Anuak and Death to Meles and his followers!! "
Well. No upcoming end to these hostilities anticipated is there.
So who is telling the truth? It seems readers have polar opposite views.
How do we know? What do we do?
Oh right.
Long life to us!! Death to them!!Posted by Nus on 2004-02-10 14:37:08

Yes, Tilava,
What happened to Armeians it is what happening to Anuaks/Gambellans people now. There is torture, abduction, imprisonment of mass number, rape, deportation of Anuaks, who visited Gambella from the States it is unimagiable suffering which the world still ignor. Since Dec. 13, 2003 this lawless and evil minded government of Tigran born evil Meles Zenawi has been crossing the international borders searching for escape Anuaks into Sudan and Kenya to kill them. He (Meles) forgot that he was one upon time was a rebel in the bush. Unless God forces, no evil forces will take over Gambella/Anuak land and live in peace! Meles will regret his imoral and inhuman act when it is too late for him to be forgiven by the world. The name of democarcy which he is flooing the world with to succeed his goals of killing innocents Ethiopians and Gambellans will come to an end sooner or later. God will lead Gambellans people to whatever they go thru to survive!
Anuak just stay strong and we'll survive 'cause it our land not theirs!
It is Ethiopians who came to Gambella/Anuakland, we didn't go their. They go back to their country much poorer than when first came to Gambella.
Let just put ourselves together and we will get them!
Long live for Anuak and Death to Meles and his followers!!
Posted by okony on 2004-02-10 00:47:31

This is one of my sources. I won't be able to make it into town on Monday. I will email the other two as well. Leticia PickettPosted by cheryl smith on 2004-02-09 01:27:14

good for networkPosted by dee on 2004-02-05 18:07:22

Dear McGill,
You are writing about genocide?
Genocide happened to Turks and Bosnian Muslims?
What a sad joke...
What is the Armenian Genocide?
The atrocities committed against the Armenian people of the Ottoman Empire during W.W.I are called the Armenian Genocide. Genocide is the organized killing of a people for the express purpose of putting an end to their collective existence. Because of its scope, genocide requires central planning and a machinery to implement it. This makes genocide the quintessential state crime as only a government has the resources to carry out such a scheme of destruction. The Armenian Genocide was centrally planned and administered by the Turkish government against the entire Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire. It was carried out during W.W.I between the years 1915 and 1918. The Armenian people were subjected to deportation, expropriation, abduction, torture, massacre, and starvation. The great bulk of the Armenian population was forcibly removed from Armenia and Anatolia to Syria, where the vast majority was sent into the desert to die of thirst and hunger. Large numbers of Armenians were methodically massacred throughout the Ottoman Empire. Women and children were abducted and horribly abused. The entire wealth of the Armenian people was expropriated. After only a little more than a year of calm at the end of W.W.I, the atrocities were renewed between 1920 and 1923, and the remaining Armenians were subjected to further massacres and expulsions. In 1915, thirty-three years before UN Genocide Convention was adopted, the Armenian Genocide was condemned by the international community as a crime against humanity.
[url=http://www.armenian-genocide.org/]http://www.armenian-genocide.org/[/url]
WHAT WAS JASENOVAC?
From August 1941 to April 1945, hundreds of thousands of Serbs, Jews, and Romas, as well as anti-fascists of many nationalities, were murdered at the death camp known as Jasenovac. Estimates of the total numbers of men, women and children killed there range from 300,000 to 700,000. And yet, despite the scale of the crimes committed there, most of the world has never heard of Jasenovac.
[url=http://www.jasenovac.org/index]http://www.jasenovac.org/index[/url]
Americans still donPosted by Tilava on 2004-02-05 11:55:11

only one thing to say... the dictator of ethiopia needs to go to world court for his great crimes.Posted by dstiles on 2004-02-04 09:38:13

Dear McGill.
I am Lukas from Lithuania. I wanted to ask you, could I translate this article and put it into local fanzine? I think It's important to spread the message about this event anywhere. For people to know what 'good' happens in this world. Thank you.
LukasPosted by lukas on 2004-01-26 09:29:51

Hi Joe,
Just read this story and thought you might find it interesting.
DianePosted by Joseph Felli on 2004-01-26 07:51:08

Well done for covering this issue. I studied the plight of the Nuba whilst at university and was angered that no one even knew about the massacres and the genocide in Sudan. This seems to be a similar story. The tragedy of drought and famine often masks from those in the West the simple fact that the Ethiopian government has played-on ethnic/regional rivalries and food insecurity problems to tighten their control of the country. In a world where 4 million Congolese have been butchered with impunity, what hope for the Anuak and others like them?Posted by Roland on 2004-01-26 07:10:41

Dears Ethiopians,
Some of you up there talking history and how friendly Anuaks were/are with them, and some of you deepening the wound. Since WWII many Anuaks live have been loss in every war Ethiopians have fought. However, at home in Gambella there was not a single day, have an Anuak enjoy the freedom in Gambella or elsewhere in Ethiopia. Most of you up there 99.99% not aware which and which Ethiopians were involved on Dec.13, 2003 atrocity. Despite the fact that most highlander tribe such us Oromo have been co-living with Anuaks for centures only in Gambela city, at this atrocity we can't take side. On Dec.13,2003 the majority highlander ethnic were involved. Even though Tigre were involved and also they are the highest ranking military leaders who ordered the Saturday massacres. The 1980's displaced Tigre settlers section of the Gambella city, not a single Anuak was killed. They protected innocent people above and beyond.This fact. We have to tell the truth! I have spoken to a very close friend who is working with NGO and who was also brutally torture. I'm tired of all you political rehetoric.I don't play politic and I'm not a politican, and would never be one. I can't stand it. However, I will be there for whatever hardship Anuaks will go through!
Doug, Article is completely true and beyond. Keep up with the Good work, Doug!
God Bless Anuaks!
OkonyPosted by okony on 2004-01-25 15:25:44

The friendship that the Anuak and the Oromo peoples have had will be strengthened due to this attrocity. The two peoples need each other in order to get rid of this criminal government for once and for all. Let us not fall for cheap tactics and propaganda that are designed to divide us. United, we shall be free sooner.
Long live the friendly co-existence between us.Posted by Anwar on 2004-01-24 10:18:30

Hi Doug again, your reporting is commendable. Given the circumstances you have allowed yourself draged into, you deserved a much more salute. Doug this world is better off because a few good men like you are out there without fear of their lives to make a difference for a better world. And man! you and others deserve our gratitude, with our deepest apperciation. Briefly Ethiopia our homeland has been negelecting some part of its geographical population for a quite sometimes. It has continued do so through successful regime with different policy ball games. Prehaps the EPDRF one came up to power with crulest, deadliest power tricks to control the lives of Ethiopian people. And in so doing its has setup phoney administratives, regional political structure where it has its freehands to munipulate, intervened into affairs of the so called autonomous regions at any moment in times. In our case Gambella is a case in point, for 12 years we are under military occupation, our people have been subjected to domination and humilition, resulting to hundreds Gambella men and women disappearing under extra-judicial measures committed by Ethiopian army in Gambella. The men in uniform in Gambella are particularly from Tigrai region in Ethiopia, who have no ability to communication in the national language as they are assigned in different part of the country apart from their own regional nationals. And they had no any pirior experiences in dealing with other people different region at all. We talking here about military force that lucks discipline, which have no rules of engagement, do not observed miliary hierarcical order. Therefore We demand that the government of Ethiopia pulls out its military force from our land. And by doing not what we want, it wil be committing a grave misdeeds, we will not let our guards down.
Nyang Gilo Posted by Nyang Gilo on 2004-01-22 22:52:37

First I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Doug Mcgill for exposing the genocidal acts and policies of Ethiopian government. The Ethiopian government up to this day is still engaged in cover up and is doing all it can to keep the world from knowing the truth. By its actions after the massacres it has shown its guilt when it went on the media and said that the clashes in Gambela were between the Anuak and Nuer. It might continue to deny the facts, but in the end the Ethiopian government's genocidal acts will be exposed.
On why the Nuer were not attacked, Iwould like to say the following. Anyone familiar with Gambela politics knows that the Nuer have for a long time been taken advantage of and used against the Anuak. They were left not because the highlandersloved them. As nilotic people they are despised by the highlanders as much as the Anuak are. I belive it is the principle of 'eliminating the toughest opponent first' at work in Gambela. The Nuer would have met or will meet the same fate later if they don't watch out. Another reason for targetting the Anuak I think is that the Anuak really do have a strong sense of belonging in Gambella. When the Addis Ababa government tries to impose its will on them they do speak out and challenge the government unlike the Nuer who seem to to accept everything that comes from Addis Ababa. This fact coupled with the racist attitude of the majority of the highland Ethiopian who regard the dark skinned Anuak and Nuer as 'Shankilla' or 'Baria' or 'Garba' or 'Tselim' which literally means 'Nigger' has made the Anuak a target. For the highlanders when an Anuak demands that he should run his own affairs in his ancestral home, he is being an 'uppity nigger', therefore, should be incarcerated, beaten and now exterminated.
To Doug McGill I say "Yiinu Gwith Jwoki"- God Bless You. Posted by Ojulu Obel on 2004-01-22 19:36:46

Ero Mkikael,
Do you know what word "incident" mean? RE-CHECK YOUR TIGRE-ENGLISH translated dictionary,okay? and if you are backing Meles Zenawi evilminded work? Check Dr. Mesfin report about what happened in Gambella at 1pm on Dec.13,2003 -go [url=http://www.allafrica.com]www.allafrica.com[/url]
and click on search and then type in "Gambella" or Anuak, okay?
Blatant lie you are saying to the Article,it's simply because your mind is as narrow as your looters, killers, rapists, abash soldiers, as Meles Zenawi! You mentioned oppressed, the oppression which Anuaks went through was the same as Tigre went through during the overthrew regime and we fought against that regime too. So have you ever heard about "GPLM" who destroy it? Mingistu or Meles? If you knew Meles was the one who destroy it in order to annihilate Anuaks knowingly lying to the GPLM leaders that "we need to make up one national defense forces", then get your mental- check. Do you think that those lice cover body people would know better than us besides looting, killing, raping.. ? I know that Oil is your motivation to support Gambella massacres, do you believe that how much money abash make a day out of Gambella Oil they will become rich? They/you will always remain Abash with crooked minded, innately theif/theives, and criminal minded. Where did you get your news from that Eritrea and OLF foot soldiers were involve? Are you say that Eritera and OLF foot soldiers were ordered by Meles Zenawi government officals go carry out the "GENOCIDE"? You might be still laughing about the innocents Anuaks lost lives but later you and your leader Meles Zenawi will cry,period. I personally encourage you to get your regular check up w/your psychiatric! 'Cause what you were said/thinking completely out of the "blue". Or prehaps, your mind is confuse of day dreaming about "Anuak/Gambella Oil" wealth.
Lastly but not least, Ero do you know that 1998-2000 during Ethio-Eritrea war, Ethiopians soldiers were looting Gambella's powerplant , meanwhile Gambellans were dying on evilminded made war? Mobile generator which supply over 90,000 populations. I would not allow you another chance to manpulate the potentail readers, customers, writers of "In These Times" magazine as they manpulated the world to believe them that they didn't carry out genocide. Gambella besides Oromos who live with Anuaks not a single Ethiopian nationalities who lived in Gambella for century.
ACT AND THINK LIKE YOU HUMAN!
okony
Posted by okony cham on 2004-01-22 18:14:24

Hi Doug your article on the mis-threatment, the genocide killing of Anuaks people in Ethiopia is of paramount important to us, the world community. Your previous article on This Times , and the one GenocideWatch report have contributed, to alerting the world about ongoing atrocities committed against the unarmed Anuaks civilian in Gambella. the reported news had unrevaled the nakedness of the empire and its rulers who for so long have carried on the business exterminating the weak without responsibly being charged for the evil acts they had performed. However Doug I wouldn't end my comment here without responding to some of the views commented here.
First of all my respond to the following persons: TT, NUA, Digger, Solomon Davis, Yohannes, Ero MKIKAEL is like this you understimated and downgraded the the Mcgill report because perior you had your own agenda against the international waves. everybody on the six planet today knows what is Gambella, and what happenned on the Anuak people of Gambella. You and others like you would like cover up for your kind, because your kind in power happenned to be from the Tigrai region of Adwa. And people like you would unleash a relentless effort to deny the truth from coming out. And would like to stand aside watching people not relating to them disappeared without pointing to the wrong doer. but my friends reknown playwrite once said " hell is preserved for those stood aside watching people butchered to death before their very own eyes. And I hope my freinds you too rot in hell".
And to those of you who are heartbroken to the plight of Anuak people may the big God bless your heart, and give you a strong conviction in the struggle emencipate our home from the dictotrship EPDRF. You know the EPDRF has been extending its age for 12 years through divide and rule policy. it has pitted, incited violence against peaceful coexisting community of Oromo Anuak people, in Gambella. it has done so by destorying communal trust that the Oromo, the Anuak people of Gambella had for generations. And both society are victims of tyrnny, because of the important geo-political economy of their locations both community have put aside their differences, and conslidate, forge a head in the struggle to get rid EPDRF regime
thank you
Nyang GiloPosted by Nyang Gilo on 2004-01-22 17:53:55

Hello,Mr Doug McGill your article very encouraging indeed,let me contribute to all the readers in this website,Ethiopian genocide of Anuaks people in Gambella City by ethiopian defense forces unscapable and unforgivable for ever, we as Anuaks, will do something about it any time soon.For you McGill, keep up your good heart to let criminal act by Ethiopian government be heard in press that to me is excellent job.I had been read all comments or reactions about your article some of those folks seem to me that like cring idiots people the backing or supporting the undemocratic and gunta government in Addis Ababa,do not worry about their comments. Thank you,AkwaiPosted by Akwai on 2004-01-22 15:02:13

Yohananos L,
Are you saying to Ethiopian soldiers, for theirs vicious, wicked, and evil, atrocity and beating, looting inculdes taking off shocks on the feet was outrageous,and shamed on them? If that was what you meant, better. But if you are supporting the evil duty please keeping it up! The evil doers will be judge according to their work of evilness! I encourage you to learn more about your word " Anuak being power monger". If you don't know about Anuak history, Don't even think to comment on Gambella issue again. Unless you be come nonabash thinken person. Yohananos, do you know that those Anuaks, who are victims today, were those who yesterday led Ethiopia won the war over Eritera, 1970s Somail-Ethiopia war, Ethio-Italian? if you are not aware pf how much we "Anuaks "stood up for Ethiopia since WWII, just go to Gambella and loot too!
We would never be part evil minded people, who does not tell the truth from the past.
God bless Anuak/GambellaLand!
We will overcome the evil doers!Posted by okony cham on 2004-01-21 23:45:14

Yohnnannos,
What do you by Doug article being outrageous? Outrageous to you because Doug, told the truth? Do you know for sure what really happened in Gambella on Dec.13, 2003? What did you mean by Anuak being a monger and distabilizing the coexistent? Do you know what genocide really mean? Please I don't want to answer your comments on Doug's artilce because I expect someone like you not to speak like Tigre/Meles Zenaw, Dr. but to speak like human!! What happened in Gambella
Posted by okony cham on 2004-01-21 22:45:21

Hi TT,
Thank you for question.
The Ethiopian government treated Nuer better than Anuaks because the government knew that once Anuak tribe triminated, it will deport Nuers to Sudan due to the fact that Nuers are not really indigenous of Gambella. However, they were given a political leadership without legal immgiration status. If someone up there don't know true history of Gambella, s/he better ask someone like Mr.TT.
Thank you TT,
okony cham
Minnesota/US
Posted by okony cham on 2004-01-21 22:24:21

This is blatant lie by so called oppositions to capitalize this unfortunate incidence to their sinister agenda. Ethiopia is a ntion where civil war was conducted for the last 5 decades because of ethnics opperation by successive leaders of one ethnic. It is only 12 years sice the blood bath ceases and oppressed ethnics start to govern themselves. The talking point incident happen because an oil exploration started to operate by a maysian company hence the neighbouring country Eritrea and it's foot soldier Oromo Liberation Front organized the hate propoganda against the Ethiopians who lived there for generations and are from different ethnics other than anuak. Posted by Ero MKikael on 2004-01-21 21:37:26

Thank you Doug for revealing the truth about current regime in Ethiopia. It is obvious that the Ethiopian government used the same kind of behaviour to stay on power over a decade now. I don't think the question is which tribe involved in killings of these innocent lives. We all know the government used the same tactics over and over. The difference is may be the number of people who died in these incidents. The government was successful to make tribes to hate eachother and kill eachother for example between Oromo and Amhara especially in Wollega. Not ot mention the wrong inprisonment of thousands of innocent Oromos. Let the blood of innocent lives speak from each corner of the country.
All I can say to Mr. McGill is, continue the good work you started for the sake of helpless people who are victims of inhuman act.
Thank you!Posted by Megersa on 2004-01-21 17:20:00

To Mick,
I don't know where you get your facts from, but I suggest that you should check your facts if you were born post Bosnian genocide. It is likely that you are in denial of history. I don't know what your motivation is but I don't think you should try to twist history even if you are an Orthodox Christian.Posted by Anwar on 2004-01-21 04:07:51

Turks were not an object of genocide.
They perpetrated genocide on Christian Armenians.
Equally, Bosnian and Albanian Muslims perpetrated genocide against Christian Serbs and Croats.Posted by Mick on 2004-01-20 22:47:36

The Ethiopian government has done a lot to downplay and hide this attrocity from the International Community. Their techniques included reporting the number of people killed inaccurately, burrying people they killed in mass grave, and characterizing the attrocity as if it was a conflict between two ethnic groups fuelled by the so-called foreign forces. In fact, they mentioned OLF and al-ittihad supported my Eritrea.
Now that the news is out and the truth is coming out that this government will try to find somebody on whom it wants to clean its blood hand. It will create and tell stories if it can find listeners. People who claim that the Oromo people were part of this genocide, are eitjer people who work for this criminal government or really naive. The Oromo people officially recognize the the Anuak territory, there, have no claim over it. Politically, Oromos have been fighting against the government. What is then, the reason that they side with this government and commit such an attrocity against the very oppressed people that they have been trying to ally with them?
I thympasize with Okony and all the Anuak nationals who have lost their loved ones, but it disheartens me to hear such a comment as that made by Okony. OLF has been around for many years now, and it has been recognized as a legitimate freedom organization, not tribe leaders. The Ethiopian government tried every way possible to discredit Oromos and their organization nationally and internationally. They even slaugtered innocent people, tapped the its own attrocity and distributed the tapes all over the world. It has tried every trick to have OLF listed among the terrorist groups. But all of their efforts have failed.
Likewise, I am very confident that they will try their best to hold OLF responsible for this terrible genocide, but just like their other attempts failed, so will this once the truth comes out entirely. Mr. Okony, please bear with me.
Thank you
Posted by Anwar Roba on 2004-01-20 14:55:06

I is customery to commit genocide by the Ethiopian Imperial click, be it Wy-Anney, Derg or Haile. All three leaders of Ethiopia have one thing in common taht is Genocide. those three regime I've wittnesed in my life time have a WAR Cry it is Zeraf, loosly translated LOOTPosted by EM on 2004-01-20 14:03:10

I questioned what would the Ethiopian Gov't gain by doing such horrible acts. There does not seem to be a motif. If so, someone please explain, I am geniuenly curious. Is it simply out of hatred? Why does the gov't prefer to treat the Nuers better than the Anyuaks?
Posted by TT on 2004-01-20 13:39:46

Dear McGill:
Your article is so outrageous and far from the truth. To tell you the truth you have no clue what you talking about.
You should be ashamed of your self to use th word genocide, you should find the truth before you become a propaganda machine for some power monger Anuaks who try to destabilize the peaceful coexistent of Anuaks and other nationalities in the region.
Posted by Yohannes L on 2004-01-20 13:09:27

Mr Solomon Dave,
Are you saying this story is far from truth because of the way Ethiopians government manipulated it to the world or what? This journalist have called Gambella and spoke to some of the vicitms family. So what kind of truth do you want beyond that? I knew that you are the supporter of that criminal minded Meles Zenawi government, therefore if your criminal government can't tell the truth, someone else can and your military government will find the "FAR FROM TRUTH IN THE HELL"! You also mentioned that the writer should investigate or contact many eyewitnesses,- Are you saying you would have been the eyewitness when the "highlanders" (abash )were looted, burning homes, massacring any Anuak's male they could see? Please think like human being don't think like abash!
Hi Digger,
What do you mean by finanical goals? You meant when Meles Zenawi ordered uniform soldiers to massacres innocent Anuaks in Gambella on nice sunny afternoon,
and then reported to the World that it was an Ethnic Clash in order not to loss the finanical, food, and other foreign aids! That was what you meant by finanical goals, Hi digger?Hi Digger you should dig more into your narrow minded and speak the truth like everybody else not like crooks rooted minds abash. You have also mentioned that Doug, was very careful when he mentions other genocide because his articl would have not published? Please,You look into America more about the press Rights, okay? Digger re-check into what kind of drugs you are taking or you need to be taken? Why don't you just thanks god for bringing you into this rich Nation and forget about your narrow minded leader and his an educated followers and soldiers? Don't you ever comments in such a way about inmoral and inhumanly act!
God Bless AnywaLand!
okony chamPosted by okony Cham on 2004-01-20 11:22:46

I know that many stories in many newsapers are usually exaggerated. This one is even far from truth. How does a reporter write a story he does not have a clue of? If the writer is unable to investigate the truth for himself, before he deceives the readers of this newspaper, he should have tried to contact as many witnesses as possible rather than four or five people who could come up with any story to win sympathy and immigrate to the US as a 'refugee'.Posted by Solomon Dave on 2004-01-20 09:41:50

What the Ethiopian soldiers did to the Anuak people is very sad, and this isn't the first time that the Ethiopian Government has polled something like this. But all i want to say is that the Oromo people and the Anualk people have lived together peacefully for thousands of years as neighbors and they will continue to do so. I personally know that the Oromo people who live in Gambella had nothing to do with this situation. What the Ethiopian Government is doing to the people of that country is unforgivable. A day will come when they will be asked and the truth will revile. Posted by Bedaso on 2004-01-20 09:07:14

(Letter not for posting)
PLease give our small press permission to0 post or link this
story on our bulletin board available through (http://www.nightslantern.ca/community.htm), as soon as possible.
J.B.Gerald
[url=http://www.nightslantern.ca]www.nightslantern.ca[/url]Posted by Gerald and Maas on 2004-01-20 07:10:40

Shame on what kind of actions humans can take to further financial goals. Also noticed how cautious Doug McGill was in mentioning known genocides. He failed to mention the ongoing genocide of the indigenous Semitic population of Palestine. I guess he feared his article would not be considered for publication in the narrowly owned main USA media, had he done so.
Hi Digger, NYPosted by Hi Digger on 2004-01-20 06:40:08

One wonders where the western media has been the last 5 years in the Horn of Africa, for this sort of massacre is nothing new, just larger than normal.
. Read my article on the Oromo Liberation Fronts website that headlined for a month last summer for a long term overview of what is going on in Ethiopia, entitled "Famine, Civil War and Afro-Nazism in Ethiopia".
Thomas C. Mountain
Posted by thomas mountain on 2004-01-19 21:47:16

Thank you Doug,
You are the only person locally, nationally, and internationally reporting on this catastrophic atrocity of the 21th century in Africa.
Anwar, if Oromo were not involved please re-check your sources. Of course there were fewer Oromo who hid Anuaks, also one Oromo male was a vicitm of this inhumanly act simply because he was married to an Anuak. I certainly, have pay my tribute to his family. However, the majority of th rige leaders during the atrocity were Oromo who used to be and presently teachers, merchants and others in order to obtain the highest leadership in Gambella State. The first killing on May 30th 2003 in Finudo, Gambella was carried out by Oromo who were in Ethiopian defense forces. Anwar, you might not aware of Oromo position and interest in Gambella if that is the case please study more and bear understanding in Oromo populations. Though I appreciate your comments it simply lack clear information. An Oromo, who knows Oromo involvement in this massacre, wouldn't say that they were/was involved because Oromo (OLF)too will lose international support like Ethiopian government when truth about this genocide is reveal. It is up to Oromo people in Gambella and elsewhere to make the right call!
Nua Anan, your statement was a dead wrong. Overstating and stretching is -when Ethiopian government (meles Zenawi) order Ethiopian's medas to put dead human- skeleton on the National TV in order to obtain foriegns food aid, that is "OVERSTATING AND STRETCHING". I did not understand what you meant by honesty? Honesty mean when Ethiopian soldiers, carry out killing, looting, and gutter homes of fire meanwhile telling THE WORLD THAT IT WAS AN ETHNIC CLASH overland, that was what you mean by honesty? Ethiopian government and it followers will find honesty in HELL! Highlanders crookness would not work on this atrocity!
Doug,
Keep writing the truth! Don't worry about those Ethiopians comments. These people can't handle the truth since they have come on this planet Earth! So if they can't tell the "TRUTH" and handle SOMEBODY else CAN!
WE WILL DEAL WITH THEM ACCRODING TO THE INTERNATIONAL LAW BUT NOT IN THEIR INHUAMNLY ACT!
God bless Anywa!
We will survive!!!!!
okony cham
Posted by okony cham on 2004-01-19 19:26:33

Dear McGill,
Thank you for your great contribution to humanity in exposing cruelty of such magnitude. The Ethiopian govenment has been busy with similar acts in the past. It executed the same mass killing on innocent civilians on the Sidamaa people in Awasaa town, the Sheka Mezengir people in Tepi Town and the environ, the Oromos in several Towns including in the Capital City Addis Ababa, and now on the Anuak people in Gambella. Such criminal act has never abated for over decades but it went from bad to worse overtime until the current event .I am not Anuak, but I do feel and share the pain they are going through right now. But, in your report the qualifier " highlander" was used vaguely, to my knowledge the Oromo civilians are victims themselves and were not perpetrators. They constitute the single largest ethnic in the Empire, numbering over 50% of the Ethiopian populations of about 65 million but powerless and they themselves are victims of the minority Tigray dominated regime.
Insarmu Posted by Insarmu on 2004-01-19 19:19:05

Hi Doug,
Thank you very much for your hard work. This the first in history to see someone like you writing in-depth about Anuak people, history, and the genocide whichever withness in East Africa. Don't worry about those "highlanders" comments. Certainly, there were Oromo who hid Anuaks, from the preperators , also there was one Oromo male vicitm simply because he had married to an Anuak. However, the majority of people who were teachers, merchants, and local residents were involved the killing . Those teachers have taught me in high in Gambella city. Now they are the ring leaders during the atrocity.
Comment from people like "Anan" is baseless and nonsense. Anan overstating is, when Ethiopian government put Humanskeletal on the national TV in order to recieve forein food aid that is overstating.
Other comment from Oromo who said that non Oromo were involve, he should re-think his statement it.
Doug, don't worry about such comments from crook higlanders.
We Anuak we deal with them, in human way, not in their inhumanly act!
God Bless Anuaks in their land!!!
Okony
Posted by okony cham on 2004-01-19 17:16:55

I am a native of Ethiopia and very familiar with that part of the country. The Anuak people are very peaceful people. I know because I lived among them. When the rest of the country was in turmoil, these people lived in relative peace for decades. Now thanks to the current regime, who are known for their war making skills, they are exporting their arrogant policy to the innocent people of Gambela. The government should have investigated and brought the few perpetrators of the ambush to justice instead of collectively punishing the group. This is sheer arrogance. I am very saddened by the whole event. Thank you for bringing the story to the forefront!Posted by Y. Mulugeta on 2004-01-19 15:57:46

I think the statement that Oromos were involved in the killings of the Anuak people is inaccurate. Oromo civilians were not involved because they have no reason to do so. Nor do they live in the area. Oromo civilians are themselves the victims of the genocide perpetuated by the same government. Even on this particular day, there are reports that several young Oromo boys were found hanged. Just like the Anuak people, the Oromo people have been targeted simply for speaking for their basic human rights. So, please reconsider the source of that statement. If any particular group was involved, it would the Nuer along which the government has fought against the Anuak-the Oromos have no interest in this.
Thank youPosted by Anwar Roba on 2004-01-19 15:48:49

It does not make sense this kind of overstating and stretching the truth.
Please let us be honest.
anan.Posted by Nua on 2004-01-19 15:28:52

01-19-04
Dear, McGill
Thankyou for your thought to make this story spread around the globe. The Ethiopian government is trying heard to bury this story because they don't want to lose US aid. But we encourage you to go more beyond this. Anyuak and freedom loving nations such as US and western world would appreciate your hard working capability. My people, Anyuak and I will call you not only champion but also hero for putting this massacre in the air and writing.
Thankyou very much!
Obang Okumu
From MPLS, MNPosted by Obang on 2004-01-19 13:09:07